Light from the Shadows
by Namonaki Farao
Summary: The Sennen Puzzle has been shattered once more, and while Yuugi is doing his best trying to rebuild it, it just isn't working out. And Yami gets an unexpected visitor during his stay in the puzzle...but what could he want?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: My first story! I hope that the people who read this like it and review! I want to know what you guys think!

Warnings: Beware Kaiba's bad language. That is all.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of the characters. Never have, never will.

* * *

"Darkness…"

"Why am I surrounded in darkness?"

The young former pharaoh opened his eyes. All he saw was the darkness on either side of him. Ahead of him. What had happened? He remembered nothing.

"Aibou?"

Nothing.

The pharaoh, the spirit also known as Yami no Yuugi, stared into the darkness, unsure of what to do. He started to panic. Where was he? He tried thinking about possible answers to his question. He vaguely remembered being engulfed by this same darkness, this same cold presence, twice before, all because someone had broken the Sennen Puzzle. But that _couldn't_ have happened again. His other self, his hikari, _wouldn't _let it happen again.

He tried calling his other half, Yuugi, once more. "A-aibou? Can you hear me?"

Again, nothing but the silence and darkness answered his call.

* * *

"D-don't worry m-mou hitori no boku," Yuugi whispered to the shattered Sennen Puzzle, trying, and failing, to hold back his tears. "I swear I'll reassemble the puzzle as soon as possible. We'll see each other again. _I promise._"

* * *

All Yami no Yuugi saw was darkness, just like before. Nothing had changed over the course of day. At least, he _thought _a day had gone by. It was hard to tell the time in a place where a few seconds seemed like an eternity.

* * *

Yuugi sighed in frustration as he set down the unfinished Sennen Puzzle. He just didn't understand it. Why was it taking him so long to complete the puzzle? The last time someone had shattered the puzzle, it had taken him a couple of minutes to piece it back together, all because he had wanted to see his other self. This time was no different, so why was rebuilding the puzzle being so time-consuming?

Yuugi was lost in his thoughts, and he completely ignored the fact that someone was knocking on his door.

"Yuugi, can we come in?"

"I don't get it," he muttered. "Why is it taking me so long…?"

"YUUGI!"

Yuugi's head snapped up. He turned towards his door and said, "Come in, guys."

The door opened, and in walked Yuugi's three closest friends: Anzu, Jounouchi, and Honda.

"Hi, Yuugi," Anzu greeted. "I take it that you're having a difficult time building the puzzle?"

Yuugi nodded. "Yup."

"Cheer up, pal!" Jounouchi said cheerfully. "You'll see the other you soon enough!"

Yuugi sighed. "I don't know, Jounouchi-kun…It's taking me an awfully long time to solve the puzzle…"

"Don't worry so much, Yuugi," Honda said. "Jou's right, the other you will be back in no time."

Yuugi gave his friends a small smile. He knew they were trying to make him feel better, but their reassurance did little to comfort him. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"We came to ask if you wanted to go to the arcade with us, Yuugi," Anzu said.

Yuugi looked down at the puzzle. "I don't know guys…"

"Don't worry, buddy!" Jounouchi said. "The puzzle will be fine!"

"But…"

"Yeah, come on, Yuugi!" Honda said. "We don't want you to stress yourself over the puzzle and the other you so much."

"Well, I guess…It wouldn't hurt to go out for a while…" Yuugi mused.

"Of course it won't! Come on!" Jounouchi eagerly tugged on Yuugi's arm.

"I'll be returning soon, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said, taking one last look at the puzzle before he shut the door behind him.

* * *

"Yami…"

"Yami…wake up…"

"Idiot! Hurry up and awake!"

Yami's eyes snapped open. When had he fallen asleep? And who was calling him?

"Do you plan on staying here forever?"

Yami scanned the area, looking for the source of the voice. He had a vague idea of who it belonged to, but how could _he_ have gotten into the puzzle? Was he dreaming?

"This isn't a dream. I'm right behind you."

Yami turned, but he saw nothing except the never-ending darkness stretching out behind him.

"Look closely, damn it. I'm _right behind you._"

Yami kept looking, and he was about to turn away until he saw…_something_ moving in the darkness in front of him. A person suddenly emerged from the shadows, and Yami's eyes widened. It _was _him.

* * *

"Go, Yuugi!" Anzu cheered, as Yuugi managed to defeat Jounouchi yet again.

"Damn it!" Jounouchi swore, standing up and banging his fists against the console. He gave Yuugi a wry grin. "How can you be so good at these games, buddy?"

Yuugi blushed, though it wasn't the first time his talent at gaming had been acknowledged. "I don't know," he replied. "I don't practice or anything…"

"Whatever, the reason is, I'll become just as good as you, you'll see!" Jounouchi said excitedly, already thinking about the future possibilities of him winning the games all the time instead of losing. "Now, come at me again!"

"You bet!" Yuugi said, smiling.

"Why even bother?" Honda asked. "We all know he'll never be as good as you, Yuugi."

Jounouchi's face reddened and he lunged at Honda, fists at the ready. "You bastard! You'll pay for that!"

Yuugi gave a short laugh, and glanced at Anzu, silently asking her to help him break up the possible fight.

"Guys, stop," Anzu chided. "Nothing will come out of you two fighting."

"But he—" Jounouchi started to protest, until Anzu cut him off with a firm glance.

"Sorry, Jounouchi-kun, but I'm afraid you shouldn't be lashing out at Honda-kun like that," she reprimanded. Then she gave him an innocent smile. "After all, he was only telling the truth."

Jounouchi groaned.

* * *

He was clad in a billowing white trench coat, and a black turtleneck and pants that would've blended in with the shadows. Buckles were present around his arms and the rims of his boots. Brilliant blue eyes stared at Yami from underneath auburn-colored hair, and he wore one of the trademark smirks he only showed Yami when they dueled. It was him. Kaiba Seto. The last person Yami would've expected to see or dream about.

"So, are you planning on staying here forever?" Kaiba asked again.

Yami stared. "Kaiba, what are _you_ doing here?"

The brunette shrugged. "I haven't the slightest clue, but I'm not here to answer your questions, I know that much. So how about you answer mine?"

"What?"

"Are you planning on staying here forever?" Kaiba questioned for the third time.

"I don't want to," Yami whispered. "But if aibou doesn't solve the puzzle, I…"

"So you're just going to leave your little group of cheerleaders and stay here? What the hell's wrong with you? And here I thought you actually cared about the Yuugi-tachi," the taller duelist drawled, his tone softer than his words.

"I do!" Yami said defensively. "It's just…"

"You can't get out of the puzzle on your own unless it's solved, right?" Kaiba said.

The star-haired duelist nodded miserably. Sometimes he really hated living inside the puzzle.

"The other you will solve it," Kaiba said, the certainty evident in his voice.

"You sound…sure," Yami commented.

"That's because I _am_ sure, idiot. The other Yuugi, the runt whom I don't care much about, evidently cares too much about you to just leave you here trapped with no way to escape. You know, people _do_ care about you. It doesn't matter that you're such a cocky bastard, they still care. And as for me, I wouldn't like you to stay here forever. I'd lose the only worthy rival I've ever had."

"I never would've guessed," Yami said sarcastically. "Thank you for all that much-needed obvious information."

"I don't give a damn if you're being sarcastic," Kaiba said. "I'm telling the truth."

"Yes, I know it's true," Yami replied. "I know people care about me, I know I'm the only worthy rival you've ever had. Care to say anything else?"

"You missed the part about being a cocky little bastard," Kaiba said, "and yes, I _would _like to say something else."

"And that is…?"

"You don't know everything," Kaiba answered softly, surprising Yami with the sudden change in demeanor.

"What do you mean by that?" Yami asked.

"I mean, you don't know _how_ people care about you, how _much_ they care about you, why you're such a cocky bastard, why you're the only worthy rival I've ever had…wait, you do know why…"

"And?" Yami asked, getting a feeling that the brunette wasn't done speaking yet.

"And who exactly cares about you," Kaiba finished.

"Of course I know who cares about me," Yami said defiantly.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes."

Kaiba smirked. "You're such a conceited little asshole, Yuugi."

"It's Yami, not Yuugi. And you're an egotistical megalomaniac."

"Yami. An egotistical megalomaniac? Sure, why not." Kaiba turned and began to walk away.

Yami watched as Kaiba continued walking, and he had the strangest urge to stop him. Acting out on impulse, he blurted, "Kaiba, please don't go."

Kaiba turned to face Yami, a smirk playing on his lips. "Why would you want an _egotistical megalomaniac_ to be here with you?"

Yami looked down, feeling somewhat embarrassed. "I don't like being alone."

"Why is that?"

"I spent three thousand years locked up in the puzzle," Yami mumbled. "I was all alone. No one was there with me. How do you think being alone makes me feel?"

Kaiba began to slowly walk back. "How does it make you feel?"

"Scared," Yami muttered. "I feel so _scared_…"

"You shouldn't be."

"I know, but…" Yami stopped. He no longer felt the coldness of the shadows surrounding him. Instead, he felt the warmth of Kaiba's body pressed up against his. He felt himself blush slightly. _Wait, why am I _blushing? Yami thought. _It's not like I…_

"Don't be scared, Yami," Kaiba said soothingly, surprising Yami once more with the gentleness of his tone and words.

"I won't be scared," Yami mumbled. He positioned himself better and wrapped his arms around Kaiba. "I won't be as long as you're here." _Wait, where the hell did that even come from?_ Yami wondered.

Kaiba blinked. Did Yami really want him to stay? He embraced Yami tightly. "I won't leave unless you want me too."

"Don't leave, Seto," Yami said quietly.

"Seto?"

"I'm sorry, Kaiba!" Yami said. "I didn't mean…it just kind of—"

"Shh, Yami it's okay," Kaiba said. "I don't mind."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's fine."

"How long are you staying?" Yami asked.

"As long as you want me to."

Yami closed his eyes. "Don't leave."

"I already said I wasn't," Kaiba said. "Calm down."

"Okay." Yami felt himself getting drowsy, since Kaiba had started to trace random patterns along his back, his hands moving in slow, soothing motions.

"Are you going to fall asleep on me?" Kaiba asked, feeling that Yami's body had relaxed against his own.

"Maybe," Yami said, stifling a yawn.

"Oh, hell no." Kaiba held Yami away from him. "You are _not _going to fall asleep on me."

"Seto, it's cold."

"No it's not, stop complaining."

"You don't think it's cold because you have your damn trench coat."

Kaiba sighed. After sliding his trench coat off his shoulders, he held it out to Yami. "Here."

Yami blinked. "Thanks," he said, though he made no movement to take the coat.

Kaiba glared. "Take it, damn it. You said you were cold."

"But I—"

Kaiba grabbed Yami's arm, pulling him close. "Take it."

"Seto, I—"

Leaning down, Kaiba said in a low voice, "I'm trying to be nice here. Take the damn coat or I'll make you take it."

Yami shivered, reaching out for the coat. "Okay, I took it. See?"

"Put it on."

Yami rolled his eyes. "Fine." Pulling on the coat, he turned to Kaiba and said, "It's too big for me. I feel ridiculous."

Kaiba smirked. "You look fine. Of course, I make it look better."

"Of course you do," Yami said, rolling his eyes. He then turned and smiled at Kaiba. "You know, you're actually pretty nice."

"Don't say that," Kaiba growled. "Didn't you say you were going to fall asleep?"

"Yeah." Yami stifled another yawn. "I'm tired."

"So annoying the hell out of me finally took its toll on you?"

Yami gave Kaiba another smile. "No, it's more like _you_ annoying the hell out of _me_ finally got me tired."

"Oh," Kaiba said, dramatically turning and walking away. "I suppose you want me to leave, then?"

"No!" Yami immediately ran and attached himself to Kaiba. "Don't leave me here alone. I won't fall asleep on you or annoy you, I swear."

Kaiba smirked. "I thought you'd say that." He gently pried Yami off of him, and pulled him into a proper embrace.

"Does this mean you're not leaving?" Yami asked. He tilted his head up in order to look at Kaiba properly.

"Yeah, I think I'll stay for a while," Kaiba said, leaning down to get a better look at Yami.

Yami stared. Kaiba's face was so close to his own…It would be easy to just pull him down a little more so that…_Why the hell am I having these kinds of thoughts?_ Yami asked himself. _It's not like…like…like I'm…starting to…fall for him? _Yami shook his head slightly. _No, that can't be…that's impossible. We're rivals, and nothing more. I can't be falling for him…I can't be…and I'm _not_…I already liked him…_

Yami groaned at the sudden realization.

* * *

"Bye, guys!" Yuugi called out cheerfully. "I'll see you all tomorrow at school!"

"Bye, Yuugi!" they responded, and Yuugi shut the door to the Game Shop, letting out a sigh. He had managed to forget about the puzzle for a while, but now that he was back at home, he could think of nothing besides reconstructing the puzzle and letting the darker half of his soul roam around the world once more.

* * *

_I can't like him…I can't…we're only rivals…he would never look at me like that…he thinks of me as only his rival and nothing more, not even a friend…I find that strangely disappointing for some reason…_

"Yami, what's wrong?" Kaiba's voice suddenly snapped him back into reality.

"Nothing," Yami lied.

"That's a load of crap," Kaiba said. "Tell me what the hell's bothering you."

"Why would you care if something is bothering me?" Yami asked defiantly.

"So something _is_ bothering you!"

Yami cursed himself. _Shit, I can't take it back now._

"Speak," Kaiba said.

"Why do want to know?"

"Just tell me, damn it!"

"It doesn't concern you," Yami mumbled.

"Why won't you tell me?"

"Because—" Yami stopped, feelings Kaiba's hands cupping his face. He felt a slight blush creeping up his face as he looked at Kaiba.

"Stop being so damn stubborn and tell me," Kaiba said gently.

"There's nothing to say," Yami replied softly.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Kaiba said, lightly brushing Yami's face with his fingers.

"Why don't you say something first? Then I might talk."

"Actions speak louder than words, Yami."

Yami looked at Kaiba. "So you're going to—" Yami's words were cut short as Kaiba captured his lips in a passionate kiss.

* * *

**A/N****:** Please tell me what you guys think! Hope you liked this chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

The second chapter!

Warnings: Swearing coming from Yami and Seto. That is all. Oh, and Kaiba can't keep his hands to himself. It's not that bad, though.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

* * *

Yami softly moaned into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Kaiba's neck before kissing him back. He felt Kaiba's arms encircling his waist, pulling their bodies closer together, the warmth of the other's body temporarily replacing the cold being emitted by the shadows.

Yami gave Kaiba a gentle push, and the two pulled away, catching their breath.

"So are you going to talk _now?"_ Kaiba asked, his arms still wrapped around Yami's waist.

"Seto, I…" Yami tried to say.

"You what?"

"I…I think…"

"You don't think, you know and you're just having a difficult time saying it."

Yami glared at Kaiba. "Fine, I'll say it."

Kaiba waited for Yami to speak, but he said nothing. He rolled his eyes. "Yami, if you're not going to say anything, just—"

Yami cut the CEO's words short as he placed a quick kiss on his lips. "I want you, Seto."

Kaiba leaned down, whispering in Yami's ear, "Not as much as I want you."

Yami moaned as Kaiba started to lightly suck on his earlobe, finding the feeling extremely pleasurable. "I want you so much, Seto…"

Kaiba pulled away and properly faced Yami, a smirk on his lips. "So you finally admitted it to yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

Instead of answering, Kaiba leaned down and gave a Yami another kiss, nipping on his lower lip, and holding the smaller duelist close.

Yami gave a small moan, realizing just how much he had really wanted the brunette CEO to be near him. Pulling away slightly, Yami said softly, "I want you…and I _have_ wanted you…for so long…for _so damn long_…"

"Do you really think this is the right place to say such things?" Kaiba asked, looking around and seeing nothing but darkness.

"No, but my soul room isn't much better," Yami answered. "That's the reason I haven't entered it. There are just so many rooms, so many staircases, so many doors; I can't stand being in there all the time…not by myself…that's why stand with aibou most of the time, in my spirit form…anything to get away from the confines of my soul room…"

"You're not going to be there by yourself," Kaiba said softly. "I'll be going in there with you."

"Alright," Yami said, closing his eyes and willing the complex structure that made up his soul room to appear around them.

Kaiba watched, somewhat awed, as the staircases, the corridors, and the doors appeared around them, casting out the darkness as the torches in Yami's soul room lit everything with an eerie, ancient light.

Yami opened his eyes and immediately took hold of Kaiba's hand. "You see why I don't like being in here?" he whispered. "It's so…_confusing_…I honestly don't know how I stand it…"

"Yes, I see what you mean," Kaiba muttered. Everywhere he looked, corridors lead in random directions, twisting every which way, making the young CEO rather dizzy. Bringing his gaze back to Yami, he noticed how those amaranth eyes were watching him intently. "What?" he asked, somewhat annoyed.

Yami blinked and quickly looked away, blushing slightly at the fact that he had been caught staring. "Nothing."

Kaiba smirked, cupping Yami's face and forcing him to look into his eyes. "What is it about me that had you so mesmerized?"

"Everything," Yami whispered truthfully. "Everything about you…I just…want you…so bad…"

"Who would I be to deny you what you wanted?" Kaiba muttered lowly, pulling Yami into a tight embrace and kissing him passionately.

Yami moaned softly, winding his arms around Kaiba's neck, and feeling himself being lowered to the ground, Kaiba's arms still around him, holding him tightly. He felt Kaiba nipping at his lower lip, and another small moan escaped his mouth. He would've been glad to remain in that position, except for the fact that he was becoming light-headed due to the lack of air. He gave Kaiba a small shove and the two pulled apart, panting slightly.

Holding the former pharaoh tightly as he lay on the ground, Kaiba asked, "Do you really want me, Yami?"

Managing to free himself from Kaiba's grasp, Yami mumbled, "Yeah. Haven't I made it obvious enough?" He repositioned himself, so he was now lying gracelessly atop the CEO.

Kaiba gave him a sly smile. "Maybe not."

"How would you like me to show my feelings for you, then?"

Instead of answering, Kaiba placed a tender kiss on Yami's lips, which had the spirit melting against him.

Pulling away slightly, Kaiba murmured, "Do you care about me?"

"Yes," Yami whispered. "And if you so wanted, I could say 'I love you' to you right now."

"Say it."

Looking into Kaiba's eyes, Yami softly said the words, "I love you, Seto."

"I love you too." The words came out of Kaiba's mouth before he even had time to register them. He gently caressed Yami's face, and placed another soft kiss on his lips. "I love you so damn much." _I never thought I'd say those words to anyone…not even Mokuba has heard me speak those words… And to think that _he_ would be the one I'd say those words to…to think Yami, my greatest rival, would be the recipient of my affection…_

"Seto…" Yami said affectionately, snapping him out of his reverie. "Do you mean it?"

"I don't joke," Kaiba said seriously. "If I say something, I mean it. So if I said I love you," he said, glancing at Yami, "I love you."

"Oh, Seto…"

"Now, can we quit all this incredibly sappy stuff and get back to passionately making out with each other?" Kaiba asked.

"Why are you being so forward, Seto?" Yami questioned. "Not that I'm complaining."

Flipping their positions and pinning the smaller duelist beneath him, Kaiba initiated a heated kiss, the lithe spirit beneath him moaning and writhing as the brunette's hands slipped underneath the coat and his shirt, touching every inch of his skin.

"Mmm…don't stop…" Yami managed to say as Kaiba slightly pulled away, catching his breath.

"Does it look like I _want_ to stop?" Kaiba asked, lowering himself a bit so that his lips were lightly brushing Yami's. "And you better not complain…" He was about to kiss his rival again, but Yami's words stopped him.

"It's sad," the former pharaoh suddenly said, gazing up at Kaiba.

"What is?"

"We would never be able to do this in the real world," Yami answered miserably.

Confusion made itself known in Kaiba's mind. "Why not?"

"As you know, aibou and I share a body. I could never betray him like this. I'd lose his trust, and no matter how kind and forgiving he may be, he would never forgive me. I don't want to have to regret having these feelings towards you if my aibou never manages to forgive me. As much as I want to have a relationship with you, I don't want to regret my choices later on." Yami kept his gaze trained on Kaiba, searching his eyes for any sort of response to the situation.

Kaiba looked at Yami, unsure of what to say. The lithe male looked back up at him, and the young CEO noticed the emotions that were present in the former pharaoh's eyes: confusion, hurt, sadness, and most of all, longing. However, no matter how unhappy and miserable Yami was feeling, that unwavering determination was still present, no matter how deeply hidden it was underneath those feelings of remorse and sadness. Kaiba admired that; it was one of the reasons why the CEO found himself attracted towards his rival. If Yami wanted to pursue a relationship with the taller duelist, he would find a way to do it using the means at his disposal, no matter how long it took, no matter how difficult it was. Those thoughts spurred Kaiba to say something, something he should have thought of before. "If you want to be with me, we're going to have to get you your own body."

"My…own body?" Yami asked. _That thought had never occurred to me…_

"Yes."

"But…how?"

"By using the means at our disposal," Kaiba said.

"But we don't have any means at our disposal, Seto," Yami answered sorrowfully. "Ishizu and Mariku are both in Egypt, and we still have not recovered all of the Sennen Items. Plus, the ones we managed to obtain are in Egypt with the Ishtars, except for the puzzle, of course. There's not much we can do…"

"There's plenty we can do."

"Like what?"

"You'll see," Kaiba answered cryptically.

"But—"

"Shut up." Flipping their positions so that Yami was now lying on top of him, Kaiba's eyes slid shut, and he placed a gentle kiss on Yami's lips, holding him tightly. _You'll get your own body Yami, no matter what it takes. I promise._

Closing his eyes, Yami heard a faint whisper in his mind: _You'll get your own body…I promise…_

_ I'll call that crazy woman and her psychotic brother tomorrow, and they better help me find a way to get you your own body…_

_ I'll call that crazy woman and her psychotic brother…they better help me find a way to get you your own body, _Yami heard as the words gradually increased in volume and became much clearer. _Are these…Seto's thoughts?_

Kaiba's musings were interrupted when he heard the faintest of whispers in the back of his mind: _Are these…Seto's thoughts? _His eyes snapped open, and he pulled his lips from Yami's. Had he just heard Yami's thoughts?

"Seto, what's wrong?" Yami asked.

"I can… hear your thoughts," Kaiba stated, a feeling of ridicule washing over him by the second as Yami stared at him.

"So…you can hear my thoughts?" Yami finally asked.

The brunette nodded stupidly. He was starting to regret saying that when Yami gave him a small smile. "What?" Kaiba demanded.

"I can hear your thoughts too, Seto," he answered, still smiling.

"You can…hear my thoughts as well?"

Yami gave him an affirmative nod, smiling brightly. For some reason, the shorter duelist was extremely happy about being able to hear the CEO's thoughts. And oddly enough, it made Kaiba have some sense of pleasure as well.

_If being able to hear my thoughts makes you happy, then I think we should have more conversations like these, _Yami heard Kaiba's mental voice say.

The spirit looked at the brunette, eyes shining, his hope evident in his voice. "Really, Seto?" he asked excitedly. After realizing something, however, he toned down his excitement. "Won't it make you feel uncomfortable or anything? I've spent enough time around you to know that you don't like to be bothered. Will my presence in your mind make you feel awkward or something? If it does, I won't ask you to have any mind-linked conversations with me."

Why was this teenager with the ridiculous hair so selfless? He was always looking out for others, feeling their pain, their happiness, and yet his own emotions, his own worries, always came after his friends' needs and problems. That was something Kaiba would never be able to understand, no matter how hard he tried. _Don't worry, Yami. Your presence doesn't make me feel uncomfortable or awkward. In fact, your presence is rather…reassuring._

Yami gave Kaiba another beaming smile. _I'm glad my presence is reassuring, Seto. You don't know how happy I am about this._

_ Actually, I do know._

_ Huh? _A sense of confusion washed over Yami. What did Kaiba mean?

_I can sense your emotions as well, _Kaiba clarified. _I couldn't sense them as much earlier, but now…well, I'll just say that you have a storm swirling inside that little body of yours._

_Yes, I guess you're right. And I'm not little. I'll have you know that I am actually slightly taller than my aibou._

_ Yeah, you're taller by, like, a few centimeters. Or millimeters, I'm not sure. It's kind of hard to tell since you two share a body._

The former pharaoh huffed in indignation, aiming an annoyed glare at the CEO. At the mention of the fact that the spirit shared a body with Yuugi, however, all feelings left him, leaving only the sadness that Yami could not help but feel as he remembered that he could not have any relations with the brunette unless he had his own body.

_Yami, don't be sad. _Kaiba's voice resonated inside Yami's head._ I already told you I'd help you get your own body._

_ I can't help it, Seto. What if I'm not able to get my own body? What if we can't get help from Ishizu and Mariku? What if—_

_ Shut up. Are you listening to yourself? What happened to you? You sound nothing like the determined, optimistic, fearless bastard I first met. You sound like Yuugi. You sound like a weak runt who isn't sure of himself, like someone who always doubts his chances. Honestly, right now, your behavior disgusts me. I thought you'd fight to get what you want._

Even though those words were a bit offensive, Yami couldn't help but manage a weak smile. "Very encouraging words, Seto," he said dryly. _I'll leave it to you to encourage someone using insults._

_Well, it's the truth! You're always fighting to get what you want. Are you going to give up now?_

_ No, I suppose not. Giving up is not in my nature._

Kaiba gave the spirit one of his trademark smirks. "You better not give up. If you do, I'll make sure never to cross paths with you again."

"Are you _threatening _me?" Yami questioned incredulously.

"Partly."

Yami tossed a glare in the CEO's direction, but the effect was ruined by the soft yawn he failed to hold back.

"Do you still want to sleep?" Kaiba asked.

Yami nodded as much as he could, as he laid his head down to rest against the brunette's chest. "Yes. Apparently, talking to you makes me feel exhausted."

"We were just getting started and you are going to fall asleep on me," Kaiba stated flatly. "You're no fun."

"Since when does Kaiba Seto have fun?" Yami teased.

"Hn. Apparently, since I met you."

"Oh, really?" Yami asked, shifting his position slightly to get a better look at Kaiba's face.

"No, not really." Kaiba smirked as Yami made a small noise of discontentment and pouted.

"You don't think I'm fun?" Yami innocently asked, blinking cutely, widening his eyes slightly every time he opened them.

"Don't do that," Kaiba said, "you look cute. No wait, you look _adorable._"

"What's wrong with that?"

"I simply can't stand 'adorable.' Or 'cute' for that matter."

"Oh." Yami widened his eyes in an almost-perfect imitation of Yuugi's, making his voice as innocent as he possibly could. "So you won't like me if I'm adorable?"

"No," Kaiba said flatly. "Drop it already."

Yami rolled his eyes, narrowing them back to their normal size. "Okay, okay. I'll stop."

"There. You look much better."

Yami gave another small yawn, his eyes sliding shut. "I think I'll sleep now, Seto. I'll argue with you about my adorableness when I'm awake."

"Yeah, go ahead and sleep," Kaiba said softly. "You look like you need it."

"Mmhm…" Yami agreed, his consciousness already starting to fade.

"I love you," Kaiba whispered, and those were the last words Yami heard before slipping into a dreamless sleep, a small smile adorning his features.

* * *

Please review! I want to hear your thoughts!


	3. Chapter 3

Hi guys! For those of you who are actually reading this, I'm sorry for the late update! I no longer have Internet...

But anyway, I hope you enjoy chapter 3!

Warnings: Kaiba swears...

Disclaimer: I own nothing...

* * *

"I guess I should stop working on the puzzle for now," Yuugi said, a soft yawn escaping his mouth. "It's already pretty late…I'll work on it tomorrow…"

He stood up, stretching, and reached for the box in which he placed his deck, only now it had become the container which held the pieces of the Sennen Puzzle—again.

"When will I finish this?" he muttered, changing into his pajamas and tossing his school uniform aside. He then grabbed the box and slipped under the covers of his bed, clutching the container tightly against his chest.

"I really want to see mou hitori no boku again," he murmured. "But I don't know how long it'll take me to finish the puzzle…I don't know if I'll even be able to rebuild it again…"

As different thoughts about the darker half of his soul drifted around in his mind, Yuugi closed his eyes, unable to sleep and relax because of all the troubled and mixed up feelings about the whole situation with the puzzle.

* * *

"I demand to speak to Mutou Yuugi, damn it!"

Violet eyes snapped open in surprise. That voice sounded oddly familiar…

"Let me speak to your damn grandson, Sugoroku!"

Yuugi gasped. That was, without a doubt, the voice of Kaiba Seto. _What could Kaiba-kun want?_

"If you don't call him down here _right now_, I will go up there and—"

"Jii-chan!" Yuugi interrupted. "I'll be down in a minute, okay? Let me get changed!"

"Hurry up and come down here, runt!" Kaiba snarled. "I want to have some words with you!"

_Kaiba-kun is so impatient,_ Yuugi thought as he picked up his school uniform. _But what is it that he could want?_

As he changed out of his pajamas and began to tug on his pants, a sudden thought occurred to him. _Could Kaiba-kun known something about how I can get the puzzle back together? I know this might seem odd, but it's possible._

"Mutou! Get down here right now, damn it!"

"I'm coming, Kaiba-kun!" Yuugi said as he grabbed his jacket.

"NOW!"

Yuugi winced. Taking the pieces of the puzzle with him, the star-haired teen exited his room and ran down the stairs, coming face to face with Kaiba as he hit the last step.

"About time," the brunette growled. "I need to speak to you, runt."

"There is no need to speak to my grandson like that, Kaiba-kun," Sugoroku said firmly. Kaiba just glared.

"It's okay, Jii-chan," Yuugi said. He then turned his attention towards the CEO. "What is it, Kaiba-kun?"

"Where the hell are the pieces of the Sennen Puzzle?" Kaiba harshly demanded.

A sudden sense of dread spread over Yuugi. Why would Kaiba want the puzzle pieces? He didn't even believe in the magic of the Sennen Items.

"Now, Kaiba-kun," Yuugi's Jii-chan said, "why do you want the pieces of the puzzle?"

"I want Yami to come out of that damn thing," Kaiba growled. "He doesn't want to be there, he told himself."

Yuugi gasped. "You _spoke_ to mou hitori no boku? When?"

"I saw him in dream," Kaiba snapped, and, unless Yuugi was mistaken, a slight blush colored the brunette's cheeks. "But that's not important. What _is _important is that he wants to get out of there already, and I intend to make that happen. So give me the damn puzzle pieces already!"

Yuugi's head was spinning. Kaiba had talked to Yami; he had seen him in a dream. But how had that occurred? The violet-eyed teen was sure that the CEO had no reason to think about Yami, so why had he dreamed about him?

"Hurry up, runt! I want to get Yami out of that thing as soon as possible!"

"Okay, Kaiba-kun," Yuugi responded. He held out the box containing the pieces of the Sennen Puzzle. "The puzzle pieces are in here. Just make sure you handle them—"

Kaiba snatched the box from the small teen's hands, immediately opening it and dumping all its contents on the nearest table. "Okay, where to start…"

"—carefully," Yuugi groaned.

"Damn it! Okay, runt, tell me how to solve this thing!" Kaiba ordered sharply.

"Wait, _you_ want to solve it?" Yuugi asked disbelievingly. Why would the brunette want to do that?

"Yeah," Kaiba growled. "You got a problem with that?" He shot Yuugi a threatening glare, and the teen's violet eyes grew wider than what they already were.

"N-no," he squeaked. "N-no problem a-at all!"

"Good. Now tell me how to start solving this damn thing!"

"Well, you see, Kaiba-kun," Sugoroku began, speaking before Yuugi had a chance to say anything, "there is no definite way to solve the puzzle. There is no way to solve it at all, if motivation is not present."

Kaiba turned, gazing at Yuugi's Jii-chan. "What do you mean by that?"

"What I mean is that you can't solve the puzzle if you have no reason to. You need to _want _to solve the puzzle, or else your efforts will just be meaningless. No one can tell you how to solve the Sennen Puzzle, young man. You need to be able to do so by your own volition, and have your own desires in order to successfully build the puzzle."

"So…I need to want something if I want to have any hopes of solving this thing?"

"Yes."

The young CEO rolled his eyes. "Why didn't you say that in the first place?"

"I wanted to make sure you understood."

"Gee, thanks," Kaiba said sarcastically. "I _definitely _understood."

"Now, young man," Sugoroku said sternly. "There is no need to be rude. Do you have your reasons?"

"Yeah."

"May I know what they are?"

"My reasons for solving this thing are none of your damn business!" Kaiba yelled. "Geez!"

"Jii-chan," Yuugi whispered, "I think it would be better if we let Kaiba-kun work on his own. I mean, with his temper, he might randomly lash out at us if we bother him or something."

"Yes, Yuugi," Sugoroku agreed. "Let's go."

Together, Yuugi and Sugoroku made their way upstairs, taking each step quietly as to not disturb Kaiba, who had already begun to work on the puzzle.

* * *

"Seto…I'm cold…"

Tugging the brunette's coat tightly around himself, Yami blindly reached out to try and find Kaiba. "Seto…"

Finding nothing but empty space, Yami slowly opened his eyes, and was surprised to find himself lying on the floor of his soul room, alone. "Seto?"

Sitting up, the star-haired teen's gaze scanned the room, looking for any sign of the CEO, but finding none. "Seto, where are you?"

Silence was the only answer he got.

"If you're hiding, come out now, because this isn't funny."

Again, no response was heard.

Yami's gaze was immediately aimed at the ground, and he shivered slightly. _Was this all a dream? Did I imagine his visit?_

The small teen looked around again, seeing nothing but the intricate structure that was his soul room. _What if I imagined everything? What if he wasn't really here?_

Yami sighed. He was thoroughly confused. Had Kaiba visited him or had he not? Had the whole thing been just a dream? Amaranth eyes widened suddenly, a new worry making itself known. _What if he doesn't really love me? If the whole situation _was_ just a dream, then…he might not…have the same feelings towards me as I have towards him…_

Tightly shutting his eyes, Yami silently pleaded, _Please tell me he was really here…please say that he really confessed about his love for me… please say I wasn't imagining everything…please…_

Even though doubt was overwhelming his thoughts, Yami felt a small, reassuring presence in the back of his mind. _Yami…_

_ Seto…?_

_ I was with you…why else would you…have my coat with you?_

_ Seto…you weren't an illusion, right?_

_ Of course…not…listen, Yami…it's getting harder…for me to contact you like this…so let me just say…that I was really…there with you…and that I…love you…_

_ Seto—_

_ I…love you…and I'll get you…out of there…I promise…I'm working on the puzzle…right now…just hold on…_

_ Seto, wait—_

_ I can…barely hear you…I love you, Yami…we'll see each other…soon…_

_ Seto!_

_ Soon, damn it…I love you…_

Those were the last words Yami heard before Kaiba's presence vanished from his mind. _So it wasn't a dream…_

A small smile spread over his face. Kaiba was working on solving the puzzle. He was working on freeing Yami from his prison of darkness. "He loves me. He was here. And he promised that we'd see each other soon. I love you…Seto…"

"Yami…" Kaiba whispered. "We'll see each other soon…I promise…"

* * *

Yuugi stealthily peeked from behind the wall, watching the CEO carefully. Kaiba had been making an awful lot of noise since Yuugi had gone upstairs, swearing and hitting random objects within his range, so when the noise abruptly stopped, the violet-eyed teen had made his way down the stairs to check everything out. What he found was not what he had expected.

Kaiba had been calmly seated on the floor, his eyes closed, a look of intense concentration sketched across his features. Yuugi recalled some of the comments his friends had made some time ago, when he had been trying to contact Yami. They had said that he looked like he was deeply concentrated, and that his eyes had been closed. Right then, Kaiba looked pretty much the same way.

_Could he be…speaking to mou hitori no boku?_

That had been Yuugi's first thought. Had Kaiba somehow found a way to contact Yami? Were they speaking to each other? Yuugi was still wondering about that.

The small teen watched Kaiba, who was now staring at the puzzle pieces. Questions were still spinning around in Yuugi's mind, thoughts about what Kaiba could have been doing, but when Yuugi heard the brunette's sudden words, everything was forgotten.

"I love you, Yami."

Yuugi blinked multiple times, trying to think about the words he had just heard Kaiba speak. _Did he just say…he loved mou hitori no boku? I kind of knew that…Yami…liked Kaiba-kun, but…Kaiba-kun returns the same feelings?_

"Shrimp," Kaiba suddenly growled. "I know you're there. Come out."

Yuugi made a tiny squeaking sound, and came out from behind the wall. "Y-yes? Wh-what is it, Kaiba-kun?"

"I know you heard me. You have anything to say about it?"

Yuugi shook his head. "No! Of course not! I mean, I kind of knew that Yami liked you, and now I know that since you return the same feelings, he must be happy. He must be really happy that his feelings weren't unrequited. I thought that since you always act so cold and distant, mou hitori no boku would never be able to get close enough and say that he liked you. But I'm glad I was wrong. And I'm glad you also like him. Turns out I _did _have something to say about it…"

"You don't…find the idea strange?"

"No! I think that the two of you would make a great couple! And if it's what mou hitori no boku wants, I'm all up for it!"

Kaiba blinked. "Hn. I expected a different reaction from you. Maybe I'll get it from the mutt." The brunette smirked. "I can imagine the look on his stupid face…"

Yuugi gave a nervous laugh. "I don't think telling Jou-kun about you and Yami would be such a good idea, Kaiba-kun."

"I'll worry about that later. Right now, I need to finish this damn puzzle."

For the first time since he got downstairs, Yuugi noticed how much of the puzzle Kaiba had completed, and he gasped. The CEO was almost finished. He only needed a few more pieces to complete the puzzle. Yuugi was shocked. He hadn't been able to put two pieces together, and Kaiba was almost _finished?_

"Shrimp? What the hell are you staring at?" Kaiba asked, fitting two pieces into place.

"H-how come you're almost done? I couldn't even put two pieces together!"

Kaiba shrugged. "Don't know." Another piece clicked into place.

"Y-you only need one more p-piece," Yuugi stuttered. He was baffled.

"Finally." Placing the final piece where it belonged, Kaiba shouted, "Yes! Now Yami can get out of this damn thing!"

* * *

"Oh…" Yami moaned. "I want to get out of here…I want to see Seto…It's so dark in here…Damn it…"

The star-haired duelist sighed. He was longer in his soul room, but once again surrounded by the shadows. He didn't want to be in his soul room; not if he was alone. He preferred to be surrounded by the darkness; it was much less confusing.

"I want to see Seto again," Yami mumbled. "And aibou, too. And—"

He stopped, a small gasp escaping him. Light seemed to be coming from nowhere, and it was easily tearing through the darkness. Warmth was quickly spreading through the area, replacing the coldness filling the space. _Did Seto already finish the puzzle?_

Yami smiled. He could see the hazy image of the shop's living room; see the fuzzy outlines of Kaiba and Yuugi. "Seto completed the puzzle!" he said excitedly.

He waited, patiently, as everything suddenly became clearer, and he could see the smiling faces of his aibou and his…boyfriend? _Can I even consider Seto to be my boyfriend? Oh, it doesn't matter! I'll ask him after I'm out of here!_

* * *

"Mou hitori no boku!" Yuugi cried, happily watching as the ghostly outline of his other self became clearer.

"About time," Kaiba growled, but he sounded happy, and relieved as well.

"Aibou!" Yami said excitedly. "I missed you so much!" He gave Yuugi hug. How he managed to do that, Kaiba did not know.

"Oh, I see, greet your aibou first instead of your boyfriend, huh? Didn't miss me as much, eh?" The brunette rolled his eyes.

"Seto, you can see me? And hear me too?" Yami asked.

"Yeah. I don't know why, but I can. So, are you going to thank me, or keep hugging the midget?"

"Are you really my boyfriend?"

"Are you really here? Don't be stupid. I already told you that I never kid. When I say something, I mean it."

Yami pulled away from Yuugi, drifted over to Kaiba, and wrapped his arms around him. "I wish I could really hold you. And thank you."

"You're welcome. And Yami, I already said that I'd get you your own body," Kaiba said, sighing. "No matter what."

"I know Seto, but—"

"Shut up. Damn, do you even care that the shrimp's watching us?"

Ruby-red eyes widened in surprise. "A-aibou? Do you—"

Yuugi smiled. "Kaiba-kun told me that you two were in love."

Yami blushed, aiming a glare at the CEO. "He did?"

Kaiba smirked. "Yeah, though I worded it differently. Annoy me about that later, though. Right now, I need to make a call. Ishizu and her brother are coming over here, whether they want to or not."

* * *

Again, I am really sorry for the late update! Hope you liked this!


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